Andrew rejoins Bagratión. Expecting a battle and looking around the camp he meets Artillery Captain Túshin and sees Dólokhov.
Andrew rejoins Bagratión. Expecting a battle and looking around the camp he meets Artillery Captain Túshin and sees Dólokhov.
Book 2, Chapter 15
Andrew rejoins Bagratión. Expecting a battle and looking around the camp he meets Artillery Captain Túshin and sees Dólokhov.
Summary:
Andrew arrives at Bagratión’s camp. A large battle is expected to begin very shortly, but no one knows just when. A guide shows Andrew around the camp. They find a group of soldiers just hanging out, talking, including an artillery captain named Túshin. The guide orders the men to return to their posts, and chastises Captain Túshin for having his boots off. Andrew and his guide go to the top of a hill, Túshin’s battery emplacement, which provides a good view of the entire area. From the battery emplacement, they can see the French. The nearer Prince Andrew came to the French lines the more confident was the appearance of the Russian troops. They see a Russian soldier being beaten for stealing. On the front line the French and Russian soldiers are pleasantly chatting with one another. The garrulous, French-speaking Dólokhov stands out in this group of men. There is kidding about the strange-sounding French language. This somewhat friendly encounter between the opposing troops makes the pending bloody battle seem oddly pointless.
quote from the chapter:
(Bagration’s thoughts on seeing Andrew}
If he is one of the ordinary little staff dandies sent to earn a medal he can get his reward just as well in the rearguard, but if he wishes to stay with me, let him… he’ll be of use here if he’s a brave officer, thought Bagratión.
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